IRA

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the threat from dissident IRA activists.

Shaun Woodward: The recent decision by the Chief Constable to alert the public to an increased risk of dissident republican activity demonstrates that a small number of individuals continue to live in the past.
	The PSNI work tirelessly to thwart the activities of those involved in criminal activity and to bring them to justice for their crimes. I have every confidence in the PSNI's ability to combat the threat they pose.

Crime Detection

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on crime detection rates in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The Police Service of Northern Ireland continue to improve their detection of crime through intelligence led, community based policing. The detection rate in Northern Ireland for 2006-07 is 23.6 per cent.—just above that for England and Wales.

On-the-runs

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government policy is on "on-the-runs"; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The Government's policy on "on the runs" remains unchanged. We recognise the anomalous position of individuals who are still "on the run" for offences committed before the Belfast Agreement. This anomaly still needs to be addressed.
	But, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) made clear when he withdrew the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill two years ago, this issue is one that needs to be considered in the broader context of how we deal with the legacy of past.

Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to strengthen ties between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain.

Shaun Woodward: The constitutional position of Northern Ireland is set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
	Following the Belfast Agreement the British Irish Council was established to promote positive, practical relationships among its Members; the British and Irish Governments, the devolved Administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The British Irish Council offers a forum for members to discuss, consult and reach agreement on co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of the relevant Administrations.

Housing: Prices

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities had 15 per centile housing prices that were less than 70 per cent. of the national level at the most recent date for which figures are available.

John Healey: Based on HM Land Registry house price data for April to June 2007, there were 20 local authorities that had 15 percentile house prices that were less than 70 per cent. of the national level.

Minerals and Waste Development Documents

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who the statutory consultees are for the minerals and waste development documents submitted to her Department.

Iain Wright: There are no "statutory consultees" for development plan documents. Paragraph 2(a) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 only refers to "specific consultation bodies". This distinction gives mineral planning authorities the flexibility to decide which of the consultation bodies listed, would have an interest in the contents of a plan, and consult only them.
	The specific consultation bodies listed in paragraph 2(a) of the regulations, (which will also apply to any of them which have subsequently changed the names of their organisations) are:
	"(a) in relation to a local planning authority whose area is in a region other than London, means the regional planning body and the bodies specified or described in sub-paragraphs (i) to (x);
	(i) the Countryside Agency
	(ii) the Environment Agency
	(iii) the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England
	(iv) English Nature
	(v) The Strategic Rail Authority
	(vi) The Highways Agency
	(vii) A relevant authority any part of whose area is in or adjoins the area of the local planning authority
	(viii) A Regional Development Agency, whose area is in or adjoins the area of the local planning authority
	(ix) Any person -
	(a) to whom the electronic communications code applies by virtue of a direction given under section 106(3) of the Communications Act 2003,
	and
	(b) who owns or controls electronic communications apparatus situated in any part of the area of the local planning authority,
	(x) if it exercises functions in any part of the local planning authority's area:
	(a) a strategic health authority
	(b) a person to whom a licence has been granted under section 6(1 )(b) or
	(c) of the Electricity Act 1989
	(c) a person to whom a licence has been granted under section 7(2) of the Gas Act 1986
	(d) a sewerage undertaker
	(e) a water undertaker
	(b) if the authority are a London borough council, means the Mayor of London and the bodies specified or described in paragraph (a)(i) to (x)."

Armed Forces: Housing

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of  (a) single living and  (b) service family accommodation units (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas there are in each of the four condition grades.

Derek Twigg: All service families accommodation (SFA) and Single living accommodation (SLA) is assessed by Grade for Charge (GfC) and most SFA is also assessed by Standard for Condition (SfC). Where SfC is a detailed measure of the physical condition of SFA, GfC is an assessment of both the physical condition of the accommodation and other factors such as location and closeness to amenities.
	Currently, SFA that is measured by SfC is at the following condition:
	
		
			   S1fC  Percentage  S2fC  Percentage  S3fC  Percentage  S4fC  Percentage 
			 United Kingdom 28,103 59 17,741 37 2,105 4 120 0 
			 Overseas 3,808 24 4,482 28 5,319 34 2,221 14 
		
	
	SLA is at the following grade:
	
		
			   Grade 1  Percentage  Grade 2  Percentage  Grade 3  Percentage  Grade 4  Percentage 
			 United Kingdom 34,668 25 17,398 13 23,346 17 62,212 45 
			 Overseas 3,516 13 1,594 6 4,848 17 17,990 64 
		
	
	Over the next decade the MOD will spend over £8 billion on accommodation, including some £3.1 billion on bringing accommodation up to the top condition. This will include the delivery of some 30,000 new or improved SLA bed-spaces by 2013 and 600 upgraded SFA properties this year, 600 next year and 800 each year thereafter.

Armed Forces: Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 608W, on armed forces: Influenza, when he plans to issue guidance on the development of plans for the recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a human pandemic, as stated in paragraph 2.15 of his Department's pandemic influenza contingency plan, published in December 2007.

Derek Twigg: The generic MOD pandemic flu framework brings together activities which for the most part will be undertaken by Defence business units and operational commands so that they can put in place the necessary response arrangements before a pandemic emerges. The guidance notes being prepared to support the key tasks identified in the framework consist of one-page summaries to assist them. As the framework is a live document, whose development remains ongoing, all the guidance being developed is subject to regular review and amendment.
	At the strategic level we are confident that in its current form the framework we have developed covers the key areas we need to address in the event of a pandemic. At present work on the guidance note "Recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a pandemic" (along with other guidance notes) remains ongoing. We hope to complete this in the next few months.

Armed Forces: Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 608W, on armed forces: Influenza, by what mechanism medical treatments will be prioritised in the event of an influenza pandemic as stated in paragraph 2.8 of his Department's pandemic influenza contingency plan, published in December 2007.

Derek Twigg: MOD policy on the prioritisation of medical treatment in the event of a flu pandemic is to refer to the authoritative Department of Health guidelines (based on clinical need) and comprehensive information and guidelines to this effect have been issued by the Surgeon General to the Defence Medical Services.

Armed Forces: Training

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how military training schedules will be adapted to allow for athletes hosted there to use the facilities.

Derek Twigg: The number of personnel that the British Olympic Association have proposed will use the facilities at Aldershot are expected to be accommodated without disruption to military activities. Military requirements for use of training facilities will take priority.

Corporate Hospitality

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to ensure that invitations to events received by officials in his Department from private companies are assessed using the Gifts, Reward and Hospitality Annex of the Statement of Civilian and Service Personnel Policy.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 7 January 2008
	Officials within the Ministry of Defence are required to record all invitations to events received from private companies, in a hospitality book, whether they are accepted or declined. Members of the senior civil service, service officers in command appointments and those holding staff appointments at or above one star level are required to maintain their own hospitality book. Each management area is required to maintain a hospitality book for the use of more junior officials.
	Hospitality books are to be examined, at regular intervals, (at least once per year), by the appropriate director, Head of division or commanding officer. Their hospitality books are in turn, inspected by staff of senior grade/rank, usually their line manager. Hospitality books are additionally subject to audit by Defence Internal Audit and the National Audit Office.

Departmental Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the departmental minute of 15 April 2005 on Manpower Data - A Need for Consistency.

Derek Twigg: I believe the hon. Member is referring to a loose minute issued on behalf of the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State dated 15 April 2005 and entitled "Manpower Data: A Need for Consistency", I will place redacted copies of the loose minute and its annexes in the Library of the House.

National Army Museum

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will request the National Army Museum (NAM) to give to all of the Regimental and Corps Museums funded by his Department  (a) all reasonable access to and  (b) capacity to copy any record document deposited within NAM that relates to that Regiment or Corps; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the National Army Museum's access policy; what the Museum's systems and procedures are for dealing with  (a) other military, Regimental and Corps museums wholly or partly funded by the Ministry of Defence,  (b) other museums,  (c) historians, researchers, authors and journalists and  (d) members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: I will write to the hon. Member.

Afghanistan: Drugs

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown) of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 967W, on Afghanistan: drugs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK-funded review of the Afghan Government's national drugs control strategy and the institutional framework supporting it.

David Miliband: The UK-commissioned review of the Afghan Government's National Drugs Control Strategy was conducted by independent consultants and the results were discussed with the Afghan Government. While some of the recommendations have been agreed and taken forward, we agreed not to pursue others. We do not publish all consultancy reports, and as some of the recommendations have not been taken forward, it would not be appropriate to put a copy of the review in the Library of the House.

Afghanistan: Police

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what research his Department has conducted into police training and readiness in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Improving the capability of the Afghan police is critical to security in Afghanistan. The UK is providing policing assistance to the Afghan government as a part of our efforts to improve governance and security. Our assistance includes the provision of specialist law enforcement experts based in Afghanistan who are working to improve the quality of the Afghan police through training and mentoring programmes. These individuals are working alongside colleagues in the European Union policing mission to Afghanistan, as well as the US Combined Security and Transition Command—Afghanistan on the development of police training.
	Officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) regularly receive information from these experts and organisations and also make use of internationally produced research into Afghan policing. The FCO, however, has not commissioned any specific academic research into police training and readiness in Afghanistan.

Egypt: Administration of Justice

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the government of Egypt over the independence of the judiciary in that country.

Kim Howells: We regularly raise a range of rule of law and human rights issues with the Egyptian Government both bilaterally and with EU partners.
	There are no plans for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to hold discussions on the specific subject of independence of the judiciary with the Egyptian Government. However, we look forward to this being discussed in the context of the political sub-committee established under the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan.

Equatorial Guinea: Prisoners

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support he has made available to the family of Simon Mann; what counselling services have been made available to Mr Mann; which Government officials have met Mr Mann in the last month; where those meetings took place; and what representations the Government has made to the government of Equatorial Guinea about Mr Mann in the last two weeks.

Meg Munn: Our consul in Harare last visited Simon Mann in prison there on 22 January.
	Our deputy high commission in Lagos provides consular assistance to British nationals in Equatorial Guinea. Our consul in Lagos visited Mr. Mann in Black Beach prison on 12 February.
	My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, met the Equatorial Guinean ambassador on 7 February and spoke to him on 11 and 12 February. The Equatorial Guinean authorities have given assurances that Mr. Mann will be treated well while in detention. They have also assured us that he will receive a fair trial in accordance with international law and will be free to appoint a lawyer.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been in regular contact with Mr. Mann's family and his lawyers.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of Eritrean co-operation with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, with particular respect to fuel supplies.

David Miliband: We are dismayed by Eritrea's refusal to resume fuel shipments to the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), or to allow it to import its own fuel. This refusal threatens UNMEE's ability to carry out its mandate. We strongly condemn Eritrea's actions in this regard.
	Eritrea's action is in direct contravention of the demands of the UN Security Council (UNSC), as set out in paragraph seven of UNSC Resolution 1798, adopted unanimously on 30 January 2008, and the UNSC press statement of 4 February 2008. The UK strongly supports the UNSC's demands.
	Our ambassador in Asmara emphasised the UK's condemnation of Eritrea and support for the UNSC's demands to the Eritrean Government on 14 February 2008. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch- Brown, did the same with the Eritrean ambassador to the UK on 18 February 2008.

Fair Trade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the use of fair trade goods  (a) in staff catering facilities and  (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) on 13 February 2006,  Official Report, column 1504W. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) policy on the procurement of fair trade produce is to ensure that fair trade produce is available to purchase and the FCO will explore options to expand the variety of fair trade options offered for sale, within the boundaries of good procurement practice—including value for money. Tea and coffee provided for official functions are fair trade.

Pakistan: Elections

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the government of Pakistan on the representation of religious minority groups in the selection of candidates for the forthcoming Pakistan parliamentary elections.

Kim Howells: In our regular contact with the Government of Pakistan at ministerial and official level, bilaterally and through the EU, we have stressed the need for free and fair elections. The elections, which took place on 18 February, were an opportunity for the people of Pakistan to exercise their democratic voice and participate fully in the process of electing their new government. The EU observer mission will report preliminary conclusions on the conduct of the elections on 20 February.
	We will want to work with the new Government to help build the institutional framework necessary for a sustained democratic transition and ensure that the fundamental rights of all Pakistani citizens, particularly the most vulnerable (women, minorities and children) are guaranteed, as laid down in the constitution of Pakistan and in accordance with international human rights standards.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials recently met with representatives from the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, a non-governmental organisation working on behalf of Christians in Pakistan, as part of our ongoing engagement with stakeholder communities. Officials remain in regular contact with them on minority religious rights issues.

Road Traffic Offences

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) parking tickets and  (b) speeding fines were issued for vehicles used by his Department in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost to the public purse of those penalties was in each such year.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 823W, to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker).
	Parking fines incurred and paid for by the Department over the financial year 2006-07 totalled £1,750 and for financial year 2007-08 (up to end January 2008) totalled £1,610.
	All of the drivers employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services are required to abide by the law at all times, they are held personally responsible for any speeding or other driving offences they may commit while on duty and these fines are not paid for from the public purse.
	For previous years the information is not held centrally and could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.
	In respect of vehicles provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 5 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1014-15W, by my hon. Friend The Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick).

Sudan: Chad

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of possible links between Sudan and rebel forces in Chad; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are aware of reports that Sudan and Chad continue to support each other's rebels. In repeated bilateral contacts with the Sudanese Government, including during my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch- Brown's visit to Sudan on 28-31 January, we have urged Sudan to end this support. We have also supported calls by the UN and African Union to the Governments of Chad and Sudan to stop supporting each other's rebels, fulfil their obligations under the 2006 Tripoli agreement and abide by the cease-fire agreed in Libya in October 2007.

Official Engagements

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days he spent in Scotland on official business in each of the last 12 months.

Des Browne: Between January and June 2007, in addition to his constituency duties as Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South (Mr. Alexander), my predecessor had official Scotland Office business in Scotland on 15 days as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			 January 2007 1 
			 February 2007 5 
			 March 2007 2 
			 April 2007 2 
			 May 2007 4 
			 June 2007 1 
		
	
	Since June 2007, when I assumed the role of Secretary of State for Scotland, I have conducted official business in Scotland, in addition to my constituency duties as Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, in my capacities both as Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Defence, as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			 June 2007 1 
			 July 2007 3 
			 August 2007 16 
			 September 2007 3 
			 October 2007 5 
			 November 2007 5 
			 December 2007 3 
			 January 2008 2 
		
	
	In addition to this, during weekends and parliamentary recesses, both I and my predecessor also executed official responsibilities in Scotland.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisors

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will list the special advisers employed in his Department and its predecessor since 6 May 1997; and what the  (a) start and  (b) end date of employment was in each case.

Gareth Thomas: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and numbers of special advisers in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon Friend, the Prime Minister on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 147-50WS.
	Information on the employment of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and is available in the Library of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to encourage the public to participate in promoting the post office closure consultation.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many households in each London borough will be sent the Post Office's consultation paper when the list of recommended closures is published on 19 February.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Pendle

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will instruct the Post Office to publish the subsidy received by each post office branch in Pendle that is scheduled for closure.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Regional Development Agencies: Trade Unions

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, of 9 January 2008,  Official Report, column 676W, on regional development agencies: trade unions, what grants were given by each regional development agency to  (a) trade unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress from the date of their establishment to the start of the period covered in the answer.

Patrick McFadden: RDAs fund initiatives through a variety of third party organisations to deliver projects to increase economic growth, such as on work force development and economic inclusion. The specific focus and priorities of such activities are set out in each region's regional economic strategy and will differ according to the needs, opportunities and priorities for economic growth in each region.
	The following funding has been provided by RDAs to trade unions as requested in the question.
	
		
			  RDA  Trade union  Project  Grant (£000) 
			 AWM Unity Trade Union Work force development project, ensuring individuals subject to redundancy were aware of skills in demand in their local area 333 
			 YF National Farmers Union Research on rural development project 38 
		
	
	The following funding has also been provided by RDAs to the Trades Union Congress as requested in the question.
	
		
			  RDA  Project  Grants (£000 ) 
			 AWM Improving workplace skills across the West Midlands region 307 
			 EEDA Raising basic skills in the workplace 189 
			 LDA Trade union participation in regional economic development. Strengthening London trade unions capacity for more effective input to the design and delivery of economic policy and programmes 225 
			 LDA Adult Learners Week Fund, LDA/Union Learn/SERTUC partnership to stimulate learning in workplaces with trade union representation where union learning representatives recruit and support learners 289 
			 NWDA Capacity and effectiveness of trade union learning representatives. Research-based project commissioned by UCLAN to look at capacity and effectiveness of trade union learn representatives across the region 68 
			 ONE TUC and ONE "Working Together" project. Helping local businesses raise their profile 191 
			 SWRDA Trade unions working for the South West 427 
			 SWRDA TUC Learning Services 8 
			 SWRDA Equalities South West 78

Unfair Practices: Sales

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1480W, on unfair practices: sales, what guidance his Department has published on whether the Directive will apply to the purchase of a trades union membership subscription itself, where that trades union provides legal advice, or special deals for meals and training, as part of the substantive union product itself.

Patrick McFadden: The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive is unlikely to apply to a person purchasing a trade union membership subscription itself. This is because such a person is unlikely to be acting as a consumer for the purposes of the directive.
	The OFT will shortly be publishing Guidance on the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 illustrating how the regulations may apply in practice. The guidance is principally intended to help traders to comply with the regulations. It will also be of use to enforcers and consumer advisers in understanding what conduct is prohibited.

A14

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the contract to Costain-Skanska JV for the A14 Ellington and Fen Ditton scheme was let for.

Tom Harris: holding answer 18 February 2008
	Costain Skanska JV have been awarded an early contractor involvement (ECI) contract to design the whole of the proposed A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement. Subject to statutory procedures and the meeting of performance levels stated in the contract, Costain Skanska JV will construct the Fen Drayton to Histon section of the scheme. The contract value for this section is £314.5 million.
	The construction of the Ellington to Fen Drayton and Histon to Fen Ditton sections of the scheme will be subject to separate tendering and contract award procedures upon completion of the statutory processes.

Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Survey in England

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of noise according to the findings of the most recent Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Survey in England (ANASE) report would create the same level of community annoyance as 57dBA was reported to have created in the 1986 ANASE report.

Jim Fitzpatrick: While the Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England (ANASE) study indicates that it is highly probable that annoyance with a particular level of aircraft noise is higher than found in the 1985 Aircraft Noise Index Study, the ANASE study shows no evidence of a threshold at which people become very much more annoyed.
	In terms of making quantitative comparisons between the results from ANASE and the earlier ANIS study, expert peer reviewers of the ANASE study advised that
	"reliance on the detailed outcome of ANASE would be misplaced"
	and that they would
	"counsel against using the detailed results and conclusions from ANASE in the development of Government policy".
	Although the report does not provide evidence for increasing or reducing the figure of 57 dBA Leq (16 hours) as the onset of significant community annoyance we believe it is right that we retain this as a safeguard for those who are most affected by aircraft noise. In the 'Future of Air' Transport White Paper the Government gave a commitment that further development of Heathrow could only be considered if it resulted in no net increase in the total area of the 57 dBA noise contour compared with summer 2002, a contour area of 127 sq km. That commitment stands and the ability to meet it is a key consideration in the current consultation on adding capacity at Heathrow.
	Additionally, as we announced when the ANASE study was released, pending the availability of a better alternative we will apply existing valuation for road and rail noise when assessing the economic impact of noise in the cost-benefit analysis of future aviation projects. We have taken this approach in the case of Heathrow consultation.
	The findings from ANASE suggest that further work would be useful in a number of areas. As a first step the Department has recently chaired a meeting of the Air Noise Monitoring Committee (ANMAC) whose role is to advise the Department on policy relating to aircraft noise. The Department is working with the committee to prioritise further research and produce a programme or work.

Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Survey in England

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account she plans to take of her Department's Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources study on aircraft noise in formulating policy.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources in England (ANASE) study provided a better understanding of the complex issues surrounding aircraft noise although as the peer reviewers made clear it does not give sufficiently robust figures on which it would be safe to change policy. The Department for Transport is in the course of evaluating and considering the recommendations made for further research.
	The study makes clear that there is no particular threshold of noise at which people become very much more annoyed. In addition, the report does not provide evidence for increasing or reducing the figure of 57 dBA Leq (16 hours) as the onset of significant community annoyance. However we believe it is right that we retain this as a safeguard for those who are most affected by aircraft noise. In the 'Future of Air' Transport White Paper the Government gave a commitment that further development of Heathrow could only be considered if it resulted in no net increase in the total area of the 57 dBA noise contour compared with summer 2002, a contour area of 127 sq.km. That commitment stands and the ability to meet it is a key consideration in the current consultation on adding capacity at Heathrow.
	Additionally, as we announced when the ANASE study was released, pending the availability of a better alternative we will apply existing valuation for road and rail noise when assessing the economic impact of noise in the cost-benefit analysis of future aviation projects. We have taken this approach in the case of Heathrow consultation.
	The findings from ANASE suggest that further work would be useful in a number of areas. As a first step the Department has recently chaired a meeting of the Air Noise Monitoring Committee (ANMAC) whose role is to advise the Department on policy relating to aircraft noise. The Department is working with the committee to prioritise further research and produce a programme or work.

Aviation: Noise

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which authorities are responsible for  (a) measuring and  (b) enforcing limits on aircraft noise.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has overall responsibility for aircraft noise policy. The 'Future of Air Transport White Paper' set out our key aim to limit and where possible reduce the number of people in the UK significantly affected by aircraft noise.
	Prior to entry into service, the noise levels generated by any aircraft design are measured by the applicant/manufacturer and then approved by a certificating authority. With regard to the UK, the approving authority is the European Aviation Safety Organisation (EASA), except for light propeller aircraft and microlights where the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) retains responsibility. Certification noise limits are set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the most recent 'Chapter 4' noise limits for large aircraft were introduced on the 1 January 2006.
	The Department is responsible for specific noise mitigation measures at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. At other airports, noise restrictions may be imposed voluntarily by the airport operator or by local planning conditions/agreements. However the Civil Aviation Act 2006 introduced explicit statutory powers for non-designated airports to make noise control schemes and to impose penalties for non-compliance.
	In terms of measuring noise, aircraft noise contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted using the Leq metric are produced annually for the Department by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
	Under the European Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC, all major airports have been required to produce noise maps for 2006, based on the Lden metric. These maps were published on the website of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on 18 December 2007. Responsibility for implementation of the directive in England falls to DEFRA.
	As far as aircraft noise is concerned away from the vicinity of airports, I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to his question of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 140-41W. This sets out the process for deciding on any airspace changes.

British Transport Police: Expenditure

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the British Transport Police spent on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations which have been asked to protect sensitive data on behalf of her Department and its agencies met the SAS 70 or equivalent standard prior to receiving the information.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70 is an auditing standard issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. It contains the professional standards for auditors to report on the controls of a service organisation.
	A SAS 70 report is primarily an auditor-to-auditor communication and is designed to provide information and assurance to the auditors of the financial statements of user organisations to enable those auditors to obtain an understanding of the service organisation's internal control.
	Organisations do not, therefore, "meet" the standard, although reports issued under the standard contain the auditor's opinion on control objectives and activities. The standard is not specifically designed as a data privacy or security audit mechanism, although it has applicability in these areas. The standard is recognised in Europe.
	Although SAS 70 audits may have been performed at the Department's external contractors, the Standard does not specify a pre-determined set of control objectives and activities that service organisations must achieve. HMG has its own detailed manuals and guidelines for controlling data security, and the data exchanged with the Department's contractors should have been subject to those control standards.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department and its agencies retain a list of issues arising out of each data security audit.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Issues identified during internal audits are reported to management responsible for the business area subject to the audit. Line managers are responsible for implementing actions to address recommendations arising from the audit, and should maintain lists of issues to enable them to do so. Because these responsibilities are decentralised across the Department and its Agencies, a standard management process for the retention of lists of audit issues centrally has not been adopted. Audit reports retained by management may, however, effectively fulfil this purpose.
	The Department's Internal Audit group maintains its own records of audit issues. Because the functions within the group are aligned to individual Agencies, standardised retention periods for lists of audit issues have not been adopted. Individual issues may be maintained on lists until the relevant issue has been cleared or may be retained longer dependent upon local custom and practice.
	Lists of issues arising from audits and other checks performed by management, such as accreditations, may not be maintained if there is limited benefit to doing so once the issue has been resolved.

Motorcycles: Parks

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are in place restricting motorbike use in public parks.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Use of motorcycles on roads in public parks which are designated public highways will be subject to the road traffic acts as set out in The Highway Code. Use of motorcycles on other roads, or elsewhere within a public park, may be subject to park regulations, which will be a matter for the relevant local authority.

Members: Pay

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Leader of the House which backbench hon. Members receive pay and emoluments from the Members' vote in addition to their basic salary.

Helen Goodman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Leader of the House on 24 January 2008,  Official  Report, column 2144W. A total of 65 hon. and right hon. Members are currently paid an additional salary from within the Members estimate. This total comprises 31 select committee chairmen, 31 members of the Chairmen's Panel (a reduction of one from the figure applicable at the time of the answer of 24 January) and three Deputy Speakers. (The total excludes Members in receipt of a salary under the Ministers and Other Salaries Act 1975.)

Road Traffic Offences

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) parking tickets and  (b) speeding fines have been issued for vehicles used by his Department in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost to the public purse of those penalties was in each such year.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) currently uses five vehicles provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA). I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 5 February 2008,  Official Report , column 1015W, with respect to these vehicles.
	DFID has used one other vehicle for official purposes which was in use until 6 December 2007. This vehicle has not incurred any fixed penalty tickets in the last 10 years.
	We do not keep central records of vehicles used by our overseas offices and could not provide information on them without incurring disproportionate cost.

Child Support Agency: Repayments

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the constituent of the hon. Member for Eccles (CSA Ref. 321022527924) will receive the refund and consolatory payment which the hon. Member was informed would be paid by 14 December 2007; and whether the level of consolatory payment will acknowledge the continuing delay in progressing the case.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 20 February 2008:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and pensions when the constituent of the hon. Member for Eccles (CSA Ref. 312022527924) will receive the refund and consolatory payment which the hon. Member was informed would be paid by 14 December 2007; and whether the level of consolatory payment will acknowledge the c continuing delay in progressing the case.
	As details about individual cases are confidential I have written to you separately about this case.
	I hope you find the answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has to strengthen the obligation on absent parents to notify the Child Support Agency of a change of circumstances including a salary increase;
	(2)  what obligation exists on absent parents to notify the Child Support Agency of a change of circumstances including a salary increase.

James Plaskitt: At present there is no obligation for a non-resident parent to notify the Secretary of State of a change of circumstances unless a Deduction from Earnings Order (DEO) is in place. In these cases the non-resident parent is required to notify the Secretary of State if there has been a change of their employer. We are considering changes that would require the non-resident parent in those circumstances also to inform the Secretary of state of any new employer and salary details.
	For the future scheme, we intend largely to base the assessment process for statutory child maintenance arrangements on the latest available gross income data from HM Revenue and Custom (HMRC) with annual reviews to keep maintenance liabilities up-to-date. Either parent will be able to ask for maintenance to be adjusted if the non-resident parent's income has increased or decreased by 25 per cent. or more compared to the HMRC figure on which the assessment is based. There are no plans to require non-resident parents to report changes in salary other than where there is a DEO in force.
	However, subject to parliamentary approval of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, non-resident parents will in future be required to notify the Commission of a change of address. The Commission will not need to make a specific request to the non-resident parent for this information—the requirement will be ongoing. Failure to co-operate will be an offence, punishable upon summary conviction by a fine of up to £1,000.

Children: Poverty

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on child poverty of the requirement placed on lone parents to meet childcare and travel costs in full under the jobseekers allowance regime to be introduced for lone parents whose youngest child is 12 years of age.

Stephen Timms: There has been no specific assessment of the requirement placed on lone parents to meet child care and travel costs in full under the jobseeker's allowance regime. A full impact assessment of the changes, including impacts on child poverty, announced in Ready for Work was published in "Ready for work: full employment in our generation—impact assessment" in December 2007 which is in the Library.
	However, lone parents who have genuine reasons, or good cause, for not complying with their obligations to look for, or take up, work will not be penalised. Good cause could include a variety of reasons depending on the circumstances of the individual. For example, problems with childcare, illness of themselves or their children or their child care support, transport difficulties, unforeseen family circumstances, domestic violence or relationship breakdown could all be considered as a good cause. However, this will not be a general 'opt-out' for those who would prefer to be on benefits.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has received in each year since 2005; and how many of those requests have been refused.

Anne McGuire: The Government have published two annual reports that contain statistical information about how many requests have been received by monitored bodies (including central Government Departments) and how many have been refused.
	These reports can be found at the following address:
	http://www.foi.gov.uk/reference/statisticsAndReports.htm
	Data is currently being collated across monitored bodies in order to produce the 2007 Annual report and Q4 Monitoring report, however, Q1-Q3 Monitoring reports of 2007 can be found at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomofinformationquarterly.htm

Employment Schemes: Lone Parents

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons payment of the £60 per week in work credit for lone parents was deemed to be incompatible with the employment retention and advancement pilot operating in north east London.

Anne McGuire: The north east London district was one of the six Jobcentre Plus districts that participated in the Employment Retention and Advancement Demonstration project (ERA), which operated between October 2003 and November 2007.
	ERA was evaluated using a random assignment research method and customers in the six districts were allocated on a voluntary basis to either a group that received the ERA service, or to a control group that did not. The impact of the programme was determined by comparing the subsequent behaviour and outcomes of both groups. It was not possible to offer the in-work credit to customers in the districts participating in ERA until the programme was complete without invalidating the evaluation.
	Retention payments were a key component of the support offered to ERA customers, together with other financial and non-financial support. If customers had been eligible to receive the in-work credit payment in addition to ERA, it would not have been possible to identify which effects resulted from receiving ERA, and which resulted from receiving the IWC. This form of evaluation is dependent on the two groups being identical in every aspect other than receiving the programme being tested, so it was not possible to offer the IWC to the control group alone.
	The in-work credit was made available in the north east London district from January 2008.

Fair Trade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is on the use of fair trade goods  (a) in staff catering facilities and  (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: In line with Government policy, the Department is committed to fair trade and ethical supply routes.
	The Department's Facilities Management partner, Land Securities Trillium (LST) provides in house catering services where premises allow. Ethical procurement practices are a key factor in the contract.
	Where practicable, LST purchases sustainable produce for sale on departmental premises. Fair trade tea and coffee is standard for official receptions and meetings.
	LST is actively working with the Fair Trade Foundation to develop its fair trade product offer and support the marketing of Fair Trade products.

Jobcentre Plus

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on Jobcentre Plus staff resources of the introduction of  (a) employment and support allowance and  (b) the jobseekers allowance regime for lone parents whose youngest child is 12 years of age.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 20 February 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what assessment he has made of the impact on Jobcentre Plus staff resources of the introduction of (a) Employment and Support Allowance and (b) the Jobseeker's Allowance regime for lone parents whose youngest child is 12 years of age. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The resource requirements for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) have been assessed in order to inform post filling and learning and development plans. Based on this assessment of the net effect of replacing existing processes with ESA processes, there will be no need for an increase in staff resource. Following implementation the impact on resource will be evaluated further.
	The introduction of the Jobseeker's Allowance regime for lone parents whose youngest child is 12 will involve some very minor changes in the total resource required to deal with this group. These will be taken into account, alongside other business changes, in the overall resource planning for 2008/09.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Appeals

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applicants for jobseekers allowance have received payments reduced by 20 per cent. while undertaking appeals; and if he will estimate the effect on the public purse of these reductions.

James Plaskitt: Where a person claims jobseeker's allowance (JSA) while they have an ongoing appeal against the removal of incapacity benefit, JSA is paid at the full personal allowance rate, no benefit penalty is applied, but they will not receive any disability premiums unless they qualify for them on alternative grounds.
	If they claim income support while they have an ongoing appeal against the removal of incapacity benefit, a 20 per cent. benefit penalty is applied to the personal allowance.
	If on appeal the decision is overturned, benefit will be restored in full from the appropriate date.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Lone Parents

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact on lone parent families of the sanctioning and hardship regime applicable to jobseekers allowance claimants.

Stephen Timms: There are already a number of lone parents claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA) rather than income support who are able to meet the conditions for receipt of JSA and make use of the help available to get back to work.
	We believe the JSA framework is sufficiently flexible to ensure that sanctions will only apply where absolutely necessary and we will ensure that Jobcentre Plus Advisers use that flexibility to support lone parents as they make the transition to JSA.
	At the start of their claim, lone parents will establish a jobseeker's agreement setting out what they will do to get work tailored to their circumstances. Any restrictions agreed between the jobseeker and their adviser on availability and actively seeking work will be included in the jobseeker's agreement. Advisers will also ensure claimants are treated sympathetically when they experience difficult circumstances, for example, lone parents who claim benefit for the first time because of a break-up of a relationship or bereavement.
	In "Ready for work: full employment in our generation" we announced that we would amend regulations to increase Jobcentre Plus adviser discretion so that a lone parent who is claiming jobseeker's allowance will not be penalised if they leave a job, or fail to take up a job, because appropriate affordable child care is not available. We will also ensure that at least one attempt is made to contact all parents by telephone it they do not attend their fortnightly jobsearch review. If contact is not made by the customer, a letter will be sent to their home address telling them that if they do not contact Jobcentre Plus within five working days their entitlement to benefit will end or a sanction will be imposed.
	We are currently reviewing the hardship regime as it applies to parents in receipt of JSA to ensure that it is appropriate for them and supports the Government's objectives to reduce child poverty.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer the letter to his predecessor dated 21 December 2007, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms N. Mubarak.

Anne McGuire: I can confirm that a response to this letter was issued to the right hon. Member on 5 February 2008.

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reviews he has conducted of the payment of benefits to claimants in polygamous marriages; what guidelines have been issued in respect of payment of benefits and polygamous marriage; what benefits are payable; what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of individuals affected and  (b) the cost of payments; what consultations have been carried out, including consultations with other Government departments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The current rules for paying benefits to people in polygamous marriages have been in place since 1988. In November 2006 we asked officials to look at the social security benefit rules in place for the treatment of valid polygamous marriages and consider whether any changes were needed. As part of that process the Department consulted other government departments with an interest, such as the Home Office, Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs and the then Department for Constitutional Affairs. The conclusion was that the current arrangements were the best possible.
	Contributory benefits are generally not payable where the claimant has more than one spouse. In the income related benefits, subject to entitlement conditions being met, the claimant is entitled to receive the couple rate of benefit for themselves and one spouse, and the difference between the couple and single rate for each additional spouse.
	In Great Britain, polygamy is only recognised as valid in law in circumstances where the marriage ceremony has been performed in a country whose laws permit polygamy and the parties to the marriage were domiciled there at the time. In addition, immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988.
	We do not collect data on the number of people in a valid polygamous marriage claiming a social security benefit. Information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Higher Education: Admissions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what guidance he has issued on inclusion of information about the university experience of their parents by applicants to universities.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 11 December 2007
	The inclusion of an optional question relating to parental education on the UCAS application form was the result of a decision taken by the UCAS Board, which the Government do not sit on. That decision followed the independent Schwartz review of fair admissions to higher education, which found that it was fair and appropriate to consider contextual factors as well as formal educational achievement, given the variation in learners' opportunities and circumstances. We fully support the move to provide more contextual information to admissions officers and believe such information may help HEIs monitor the effectiveness of their widening participation initiatives. The Government has not issued any guidance on this matter.

Students: Science

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government has taken to increase the numbers of students studying science based degrees.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 15 November 2007
	The Government's policy is to increase the number of people leaving schools and colleges with the appropriate qualifications to enable them to take a science-based degree. This includes Government support for activities that help enthuse young people about science and scientific careers. For example the department funds the Science and Engineering Ambassadors scheme, run by STEMNET, through which individuals work with teachers in schools and colleges.
	There are some encouraging signs that the Government's overall policy is starting to work. According to the most recent UCAS figures for 2007 entry published on 17 October 2007, there have been increases in acceptances for first degrees at UK universities as follows: physics (+10.3 per cent.), chemistry (+8.8 per cent.), biology (+3.3 per cent.), maths (+9.2 per cent.); combined maths/ computer science (+16.5 per cent.); combined medical/biological/agricultural sciences (+10.0 per cent.); chemical engineering (+12.3 per cent.), civil engineering (+9.9 per cent.) and mechanical engineering (+4.3 per cent.). These figures include EU and international students.

Faith Schools: Islam

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families regarding how many Muslim schools OFSTED has raised concerns with his Department in the last five years.

Edward Balls: Maintained and independent schools, including those designated as Muslim schools, are inspected by OFSTED on a regular basis. There are currently nine Muslim schools open in the maintained sector. Since 2005, when the three year cycle of inspections was introduced, six have been inspected and all judged by OFSTED to be satisfactory or better in terms of their overall effectiveness. The other three were opened since September 2006 and will be inspected, as usual, in the second year of operation. In the independent sector there are 115 Muslim schools of which 83 have been inspected since 2003, with inspections at a further 18 schools scheduled this school term. The remaining schools were all opened since September 2003 and were inspected against independent schools standards before opening and will be inspected again in due course, as part of the three year cycle of inspections which OFSTED will commence in the summer term. Inspection reports, which are published on OFSTED's website, provide an overview of provision in all inspected schools, detail of whether or not the statutory standards for independent schools are met where appropriate and include recommendations for improvement.
	On one occasion OFSTED referred a specific concern raised with it about a Muslim school to the Department. The case was investigated and found to have no substance.

Faith Schools: Islam

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what arrangements are in place for the inspection of independent Muslim schools.

Edward Balls: All independent Muslim schools are currently inspected by OFSTED against standards set out in The Education (Independent School Standards)(England) Regulations 2003, as amended. These cover the quality of the curriculum and teaching; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and their health, safety and welfare. Reports of independent school inspections are published on the OFSTED website.
	The Bridge Schools' Inspectorate (BSI) has recently been approved in principle to undertake inspection of around 110 independent schools affiliated to the Christian Schools Trust (CST) and the Association of Muslim Schools UK (AMSUK). BSI inspections will assess schools against the same statutory criteria as OFSTED and their inspectors will also assess the religious ethos of CST and AMSUK schools. Any inspection work BSI carries out will be monitored by OFSTED, which will produce a published annual report on its performance.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of children in schools of fewer than 500 pupils gained five A* to C GCSE grades in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of children in schools of between 500 and 999 pupils gained five A* to C GCSE grades in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what percentage of children in schools of fewer than 1,000 pupils gained five A* to C GCSE grades in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The following table provides data on the percentage of pupils achieving five A* to C at GSCE for schools:
	 (a) With fewer than 500 pupils
	 (b) Between 500 and 999 pupils
	 (c) With 1000 or more pupils
	 (d) With fewer than 1000 pupils
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils achieving 5A*-C in GCSE and Equivalents in 2007 
			  Number of pupils( 1)  Number of schools  Percentage of 5A*-C 
			 Fewer than 500 158 49.4 
			 500 to 999 1,391 57.1 
			 1,000 or more fewer than 1,000 1,563 63.8 
			 All Schools(2) 3,112 61.0 
			 (1). Number of day pupils on roll.  (2). Includes Maintained Mainstream schools, CTCs and Academies.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Nottingham

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children in Nottingham left school with five A*-C grade GCSEs in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jim Knight: The available information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving 5 A*-C grades, 1997, 1998 and 2007 
			   1997 ( 1) 1998  2007 
			 England(2) 45.1 46.3 60.8 
			 Nottinghamshire Local Authority (1997) 37.6 n/a n/a 
			 Nottingham City Local Authority (1998-) n/a 26.2 53.2 
			 Nottinghamshire Local Authority (1998-) n/a 42.3 54.6 
			 n/a = not available (1) Due to local government reorganisations, figures have also been given for 1998 to allow comparisons to be made to the latest year. (2) includes all schools, not only those in the maintained sector. 
		
	
	Figures are published annually in the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'GCSE and Equivalent Examination Results in England', the latest figures, for 2007, are available at:
	http://www.dfes.qov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000768/index. shtml.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to his Department's Green Paper Raising Expectations, what he expects the additional expenditure per pupil to be on education after 2013.

Jim Knight: Per pupil expenditure figures for 2013 will not be available until the next spending review announcement. Total per pupil funding has more than doubled from under £2,500 in 1997-98 to £5,600 in 2007-08. The next three years will see per pupil funding rise by almost 20 per cent. in cash terms to over £6,600 by 2010-11.

Science: General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 16 year olds in maintained secondary schools were entered for GCSE, dual award science, in each year since 2001.

Jim Knight: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of 15-year-olds in maintained secondary schools entered for science dual award  Percentage of 15-year-olds in maintained secondary schools entered for science dual award 
			 2006/07 406,021 69.9 
			 2005/06 414,291 72.2 
			 2004/05 423,496 72.6 
			 2003/04 455,918 77.3 
			 2002/03 451,665 79.0 
			 2001/02 446,769 77.1 
			 2000/01 445,487 77.3 
		
	
	Figures relate to 15-year-olds (age at start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August).

Knutsford Crown Court

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to the potential use of Knutsford Crown court for magistrates hearings.

Maria Eagle: Her Majesty's Courts Service in Cheshire-Merseyside has developed an estates strategy that aims to identify opportunities to maximise the utilisation of all its buildings. The option to utilise Knutsford Crown court as a magistrates court does not presently form part of the strategy, although cases are occasionally listed at Knutsford magistrates court from both Macclesfield and Vale Royal magistrates courts. Dates on which such cases are currently listed are as follows:
	
		
			  Date  Local justice area 
			 12 February 2008 Macclesfield 
			 13 February 2008 Vale Royal 
			 14 February 2008 Vale Royal 
			 25 February 2008 Macclesfield 
			 26 February 2008 Macclesfield 
			 27 February 2008 Macclesfield 
			 28 February 2008 Macclesfield 
			 4 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 5 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 6 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 7 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 17 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 18 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 19 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 31 March 2008 Vale Royal 
			 1 April 2008 Vale Royal 
			 2 April 2008 Vale Royal 
			 3 April 2008 Vale Royal 
			 4 April 2008 Vale Royal 
		
	
	A feasibility study to improve and/or replace Macclesfield magistrates court and a potential integration scheme with Macclesfield county court is under consideration and the Ministry of Justice Building Review Group will shortly receive a bid in this respect.

Legal Aid Scheme

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were eligible for legal aid in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: Legal aid covers a number of different areas of justice, and the extent to which applicants' financial circumstances are taken into account in granting legal aid varies considerably across these areas. It is therefore not possible to give figures for the number of people eligible for legal aid as a whole. However, some estimates of the likely number that would be eligible are available for certain areas.
	In criminal cases, all those arrested in England and Wales are eligible to receive free advice and assistance at the police station. Defendants are financially eligible for representation in the Crown court, subject to judicial discretion to recover costs. We estimate that around half the population of England and Wales would be financially eligible to receive legal aid in magistrates' courts cases following the introduction of the means test in October 2006.
	Prior to April 2001 there was a legal aid contribution scheme in operation for criminal cases. The court decided the level of contributions according to the defendant's means. Estimates of eligibility levels under this scheme would be available only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table provides estimates of the proportion of the population of England and Wales that were in principle financially eligible for civil legal aid in those categories for which financial circumstances are taken into account in each of the past 10 years where figures are available. However, decisions on granting of legal aid also depend on the merits of the case, while some areas of civil law are not now covered by legal aid. The decline over recent years in the proportion of the population eligible for civil legal aid is likely to reflect increases in general levels of prosperity, changes to the structure of the benefits system, demographic changes, and also the Government's drive to focus legal aid support on the most vulnerable people in society and to achieve the more effective delivery of civil legal aid.
	More effective delivery is evidenced by the number of acts of assistance of civil legal aid not declining in parallel with eligibility over the last 10 years and increasing significantly from 856,000 in 2004-05 to 1,137,000 in 2006-07. Moreover, cash expenditure on civil legal aid (excluding immigration and asylum legal help whose costs reflect the volume of people arriving), rose from £615 million in 2001-02 to £730 million in 2006-07.
	
		
			   Estimated proportion of the population of England and Wales eligible for civil representation (%) 
			 1998 52 
			 1999 51 
			 2000 50 
			 2001 46 
			 2005 41 
			 2007 29

Offenders: Deportation

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on plans to repatriate Libyan prisoners detained in prisons in this country; what estimate he has made of how many prisoners will be affected; and what decisions have been made on the status of Mohammed Al Megrahi;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libya.

Jack Straw: On 28 May 2007, the then Prime Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Libyan Prime Minister which stated that negotiations would take place on four agreements in the field of judicial co-operation. These agreements were; Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Civil and Commercial Law, and Prisoner Transfer.
	The prisoner transfer agreement, which has not yet been finalised, will provide for British nationals imprisoned in Libya, and Libyan nationals imprisoned in the United Kingdom, to serve their sentences in their own country. Transfer will only take place if both Governments give their consent in respect of each individual applicant prisoner. At 31 December 2007, 16 Libyan nationals were imprisoned in England and Wales. On the same date no British nationals were detained in prison in Libya.
	Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi is serving a life sentence in Scotland for his part in the bombing of Pan American Flight 103 on 21 December 1988. As a prisoner detained in Scotland the decision on whether or not he can be transferred from Scotland to a prison in Libya would be a matter for Scottish Ministers. The Government have not entered into any arrangement for the transfer of Mr. al-Megrahi to Libya.
	In accordance with the Ponsonby Rules a copy of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement between the UK and Libya will be laid before Parliament once it has been signed.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many offending behaviour programmes were undertaken in prisons in England and Wales in the period 1997 to 2007; and what measures were used to judge their effectiveness;
	(2)  how many offending behaviour programmes in prisons in England and Wales over the period 1997 to 2007 were subject to randomised controlled trials to assess their effectiveness;
	(3)  how many prisoners in England and Wales participated in offending behaviour programmes during the period 1997 to 2007;
	(4)  what the cost of offending behaviour programmes in prisons in England and Wales was in each year from 1997 to 2007.

Maria Eagle: In 1997 the Prison Service offered a range of six accredited offending behaviour programmes, and by 2007 the repertoire of accredited offending behaviour programmes had increased to 15.
	Various measures have been used in the evaluation of the effectiveness of offending behaviour programmes in England and Wales. Predominantly quasi-experimental and non-experimental research designs have been used, many examining the reconviction rates of those who have completed programmes compared to those who have not. Other measures used to judge effectiveness include pre to post treatment psychometric data which examines short term treatment impact, as well as gathering audit and qualitative information on programme participants and the delivery of programmes.
	During this period, one randomised control trial has been conducted on the effectiveness of offending behaviour programmes. The Treatment Change Project (TCP) is an evaluation of HM Prison Service accredited Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS) programme which aims to examine the impact of ETS courses on impulsivity in adult male offenders over the age of 18, and to investigate whether changes in levels of impulsivity were reflected in changes in prison behaviour.
	The TCP was conducted as a randomised control trial (RCT), and as such is the first large-scale RCT evaluating the impact of ETS in prisons.
	The draft report is at the peer review stage, with publication scheduled for April 2008.
	From 1 April 1997 to 31 March 2007 the number of accredited offending behaviour programmes completed by prisoners was 65,233. Some prisoners will have completed more than one programme.
	The funding for the delivery of accredited offending behaviour programmes is part of establishment baselines, therefore it is not possible to accurately disaggregate the cost of this work. The Prison Service is currently working on developing a costing process to provide more accurate costs for regime activities and interventions.
	Additional funding was provided by the Government to expand the delivery of accredited offending behaviour programmes as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			 Comprehensive Spending Review 7.3 8.4 8.9 8.9 8.9 
			 Crime Reduction Programme 0.7 1.1 1.5 — — 
			 Spending Review 2000 — — — 3.6 11.6 
		
	
	Based on an estimated average cost per programme completion and the number of completions in 2006-07, we estimate that the cost of delivering accredited offending behaviour programmes in 2006-07 to be approximately £25 million.

Prisons: Traveller Day

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons have held a Traveller Day in the last three years; and what the cost was of such events.

Maria Eagle: Traveller Days are local initiatives held by prisons: they are dependant on establishments having recognised groups of prisoners from Traveller background. The Prison Service considers it best practise for establishment to hold such events.
	Information is not held centrally on events such as Traveller Days held in prisons. To collect the information requested would require contacting all 125 public sector prisons in England and Wales individually and for each establishment to conduct a manual check of their local records. It is not therefore possible to provide figures for the number of such events in the last three years or their costs.

Anabolic Steroids: Misuse

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department keeps records of the number of young men who have taken anabolic steroids for non-medical reasons in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The British Crime Survey (BCS) collects information on the illicit use of anabolic steroids. As the following table shows, the proportion of young people aged 16 to 24 years using anabolic steroids not prescribed by a doctor has remained at less than 0.5 per cent. since such questions were included in the survey in 1996.
	Due to the small number of anabolic steroid users in the BCS sample it is not possible to provide a separate breakdown for men and women separately.
	
		
			  Proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds reporting use of anabolic steroids in the last year, 1996 to 2006-07 
			   Anabolic steroids  Unweighted base 
			 1996 0.5 1,412 
			 1998 0.5 1,233 
			 2000 0.1 1,455 
			 2001-02 0.2 3,984 
			 2002-03 0.1 4,209 
			 2003-04 0.4 5,327 
			 2004-05 0.4 6,182 
			 2005-06 0.3 5,876 
			 2006-07 0.2 5,687

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued to children in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) sex and  (b) age;
	(2)  how many antisocial behaviour orders issued to children were breached in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many children were sent to prison as a result of breaking an antisocial behaviour order in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many children have been subject to more than one antisocial behaviour order in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Data showing the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to juveniles aged 10 to 17, by gender, can be found in the following table. Of the total number of ASBOs issued to juveniles aged 10 to 17 since inception, 2,293 were proven to have been breached at least once by the end of 2005. Such data, further broken down by year, is not available. The data held by the Department does not identify whether multiple ASBOs have been issued to the same person.
	Data on the type of sentence received for breach of an ASBO will be published later this year.
	
		
			  Number of Antisocial Behaviour Orders issued to persons aged ID-17 at all courts, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by sex, in England and Wales, 2001-05 
			   England and Wales 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Males 187 237 573 1,195 1,424 
			 Females 6 13 52 125 134 
			 All aged 10 to 17 193 250 625 1,320 1,558 
			  Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Crime: Firearms

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded by the police in which deactivated or reactivated firearms were used in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: Information on deactivated or reactivated firearms has been centrally separately collected since 2004-05. Available data from 2004-05 up to and including 2006-07 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in which reactivated and deactivated firearms were used, England and Wales, 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			  Number of offences 
			  Weapon type  2004-05( 1)  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Reactivated handgun 2 2 2 
			 Deactivated imitation firearm 1 4 2 
			 Other reactivated firearm — 2 1 
			 (1) More explicit guidelines for the classification of weapons introduced on 1 April 2004 may have increased the recording of firearm offences, particularly those committed by imitation weapons.

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for drug-driving resulted in a custodial sentence  (a) in England and  (b) in each police authority area in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The data on arrests collected by the Ministry of Justice do not include information on the outcomes in court of those arrests.
	Information is available on convictions and custodial sentences for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs by police force area from 1997 to 2005. This is provided in the following tables. 2006 data will be available later this year.
	The data provided cover both drink and drugs offences.
	
		
			  Findings of guilt and immediate custodial sentences at all courts for offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs( 1)  by police force area, 1997 to 2005 
			  Number of offences 
			   1997  1998  1999 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2) 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,812 163 2,566 157 2,728 165 
			 Bedfordshire 1,146 119 1,060 96 869 87 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,092 56 1,060 62 941 43 
			 Cheshire 1,969 97 1,903 119 1,827 133 
			 Cleveland 926 61 870 63 811 57 
			 Cumbria 931 49 856 51 871 37 
			 Derbyshire 1,612 147 1,547 202 1,463 181 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,342 91 2,265 127 2,277 112 
			 Dorset 1,214 93 1,186 88 1,120 96 
			 Durham 1,044 66 1,035 53 1,137 81 
			 Essex 2,736 228 2,438 233 2,528 261 
			 Gloucestershire 1,067 48 985 36 889 51 
			 Greater Manchester 4,806 440 4,715 453 4,850 464 
			 Hampshire 3,774 243 3,597 231 3,725 213 
			 Hertfordshire 1,670 90 1,672 91 1,679 90 
			 Humberside 1,274 76 1,358 87 1,323 97 
			 Kent 2,321 97 2,627 155 2,633 133 
			 Lancashire 3,389 224 2,945 178 3,010 184 
			 Leicestershire 1,648 183 1,485 140 1,624 188 
			 Lincolnshire 1,088 47 979 36 941 44 
			 London, City of 436 8 301 9 236 5 
			 Merseyside 2,719 304 2,451 326 2,137 296 
			 Metropolitan Police 16,165 1,270 13,889 1,050 12,414 838 
			 Norfolk 1,116 49 1,118 43 1,010 64 
			 Northamptonshire 1,107 109 1,062 73 1,058 91 
			 Northumbria 2,625 184 2,457 194 2,463 229 
			 North Yorkshire 1,365 77 1,205 77 1,124 60 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,031 255 1,804 247 1,802 262 
			 South Yorkshire 2,296 204 2,002 178 1,927 149 
			 Staffordshire(3) 2,036 132 1,955 140 1,711 143 
			 Suffolk 1,050 53 1,042 60 1,089 71 
			 Surrey 1,380 64 1,328 58 1,417 47 
			 Sussex 2,373 110 2,113 113 2,224 120 
			 Thames Valley 4,070 215 3,896 195 3,725 216 
			 Warwickshire 837 44 784 53 856 38 
			 West Mercia 1,947 87 1,794 97 1,747 114 
			 West Midlands 6,351 598 5,582 532 4,775 532 
			 West Yorkshire 3,953 394 3,669 329 3,597 358 
			 Wiltshire 1,043 27 1,108 39 1,009 45 
			 England 93,761 6,802 86,709 6,471 83,567 6,395 
			 Dyfed Powys 1,029 44 995 38 944 48 
			 Gwent 1,166 61 1,203 84 1,079 78 
			 North Wales 1,354 96 1,306 95 1,248 94 
			 South Wales 2,892 257 2,903 239 2,526 282 
			 Wales 6,441 458 6,407 456 5,797 502 
			
			 England and Wales 100,202 7,260 93,116 6,927 89,364 6,897 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2000  2001  2002 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2) 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,462 152 2,197 129 2,401 124 
			 Bedfordshire 797 89 914 79 955 82 
			 Cambridgeshire 793 41 813 51 852 41 
			 Cheshire 1,652 122 1,529 96 1,993 103 
			 Cleveland 777 56 887 77 921 71 
			 Cumbria 806 50 761 51 768 37 
			 Derbyshire 1,417 126 1,411 140 1,465 164 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,199 104 2,369 128 2,441 95 
			 Dorset 1,115 84 1,150 91 1,199 83 
			 Durham 1,124 76 1,097 86 1,136 68 
			 Essex 2,462 237 2,456 264 2,522 267 
			 Gloucestershire 804 37 865 39 926 44 
			 Greater Manchester 4,801 428 4,715 454 4,720 474 
			 Hampshire 3,472 244 3,464 235 3,846 243 
			 Hertfordshire 1,552 98 1,666 94 1,894 90 
			 Humberside 1,371 128 1,259 126 1,395 113 
			 Kent 2,592 134 2,575 165 2,745 152 
			 Lancashire 2,584 163 2,304 148 2,599 159 
			 Leicestershire 1,531 152 1,546 140 1,659 140 
			 Lincolnshire 816 48 877 60 847 56 
			 London, City of 162 4 162 10 221 12 
			 Merseyside 2,128 286 2,195 217 2,293 216 
			 Metropolitan Police 11,801 891 11,260 928 12,905 927 
			 Norfolk 935 45 1,143 75 1,220 55 
			 Northamptonshire 782 90 399 65 236 35 
			 Northumbria 2,621 215 2,529 217 2,588 188 
			 North Yorkshire 1,073 67 1,066 55 1,119 63 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,722 210 1,598 187 1,420 129 
			 South Yorkshire 2,122 170 2,020 159 1,945 165 
			 Staffordshire(3) n/a n/a 1,513 136 1,704 143 
			 Suffolk 902 74 920 43 1,105 79 
			 Surrey 1,539 61 1,592 65 1,614 68 
			 Sussex 2,112 136 2,358 128 2,306 149 
			 Thames Valley 3,496 212 3,275 210 4,317 219 
			 Warwickshire 786 42 880 33 841 40 
			 West Mercia 1,631 101 1,740 91 1,719 93 
			 West Midlands 4,559 451 4,914 471 5,050 438 
			 West Yorkshire 3,375 287 3,220 331 3,564 268 
			 Wiltshire 930 28 1,045 53 1,005 54 
			 England 79,671 6,076 78,684 6,127 84,456 5,947 
			
			 Dyfed Powys 858 45 867 36 927 47 
			 Gwent 1,211 99 1,152 76 1,074 74 
			 North Wales 1,332 92 1,227 87 1,270 71 
			 South Wales 2,757 255 2,812 295 2,761 236 
			 Wales 6,158 491 6,058 494 6,032 428 
			
			 England and Wales 85,829 6,567 84,742 6,621 90,488 6,375 
		
	
	—continued
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2003  2004  2005 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2)  Findings of guilt  Immediate custody( 2) 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,666 167 2,692 145 2,595 127 
			 Bedfordshire 1,072 72 1,028 65 1,050 81 
			 Cambridgeshire 933 56 1,083 52 1,214 65 
			 Cheshire 1,905 110 2,128 106 1,709 113 
			 Cleveland 981 61 1,071 60 959 44 
			 Cumbria 843 37 907 50 853 54 
			 Derbyshire 1,617 168 1,874 143 1,645 118 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,667 121 2,560 120 2,446 102 
			 Dorset 1,264 73 1,239 52 1,207 63 
			 Durham 1,170 77 1,277 80 1,168 56 
			 Essex 2,622 311 2,853 349 2,549 262 
			 Gloucestershire 890 37 913 38 834 29 
			 Greater Manchester 4,743 437 4,811 379 4,653 317 
			 Hampshire 3,663 234 3,743 199 3,372 189 
			 Hertfordshire 1,904 78 1,881 94 1,836 87 
			 Humberside 1,445 150 1,623 112 1,592 117 
			 Kent 2,811 179 3,010 155 2,907 157 
			 Lancashire 2,652 146 2,706 125 2,723 136 
			 Leicestershire 1,725 143 1,754 145 1,631 122 
			 Lincolnshire 1,111 42 1,209 46 1,176 36 
			 London, City of 230 4 169 5 184 4 
			 Merseyside 2,687 215 2,849 261 2,964 252 
			 Metropolitan Police 12,621 922 13,227 832 12,887 766 
			 Norfolk 1,274 59 1,240 64 1,265 50 
			 Northamptonshire 799 65 922 73 853 67 
			 Northumbria 2,747 187 2,675 183 2,561 107 
			 North Yorkshire 1,194 51 1,131 40 1,244 51 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,644 149 1,669 111 1,626 112 
			 South Yorkshire 2,089 125 2,224 140 2,220 124 
			 Staffordshire (3) 1,733 141 1,733 124 1,718 111 
			 Suffolk 1,213 66 1,332 89 1,103 59 
			 Surrey 1,464 44 1,425 51 1,503 53 
			 Sussex 2,430 120 2,368 104 2,379 108 
			 Thames Valley 3,884 159 3,539 190 3,474 181 
			 Warwickshire 918 33 845 23 871 28 
			 West Mercia 1,797 100 1,689 103 1,917 96 
			 West Midlands 5,233 420 5,584 423 5,693 347 
			 West Yorkshire 3,720 260 3,897 276 3,863 163 
			 Wiltshire 1,031 62 1,024 39 1,038 41 
			 England 87,392 5,881 89,904 5,646 87,482 4,995 
			
			 Dyfed Powys 995 46 986 47 932 36 
			 Gwent 1,149 94 1,188 69 1,129 74 
			 North Wales 1,326 76 1,349 75 1,364 68 
			 South Wales 2,840 211 2,811 222 2,811 199 
			 Wales 6,310 427 6,334 413 6,236 377 
			
			 England and Wales 93,702 6,308 96,238 6,059 93,718 5,372 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Data provided covers summary offences of driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs (which cannot reliably be distinguished separately). (2) Immediate Custody includes sentences of Secure Training Order, Detention & Training Order, Young Offender Institution and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment. (3) Staffordshire Police Force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used.

Drunkenness: Crime Prevention

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what maximum levy may be imposed on a licensed premises in an alcohol disorder zone; and whether the revenue is ring-fenced;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the number of alcohol disorder zones that will be implemented by local authorities in the first full year of operation of the legislation.

Vernon Coaker: Alcohol disorder zones (ADZs) are designed to tackle the problem of alcohol-related crime and disorder in the worst affected parts of town and city centres through a focus on the public space and/or the management of certain licensed premises. There will be no maximum levy that may be imposed on licensed premises, however the purposes to which the money raised can be put will be regulated, and the money raised will have to be spent on additional enforcement services which are over and above the baseline levels already in place.
	The regulatory impact assessment for ADZs estimates that in the first year of ADZ being in force, approximately 30 areas may move to the action planning phase of the ADZ. However, it is unlikely that all areas which move to the action planning phase will continue to implement the full ADZ, as it is expected that as progress is made towards reducing alcohol related crime and disorder, a significant proportion of ADZs will not proceed further than the action planning phase.

Identity Cards

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was to her Department of conferences relating to the national identity scheme in the last two years.

Jacqui Smith: The Identity and Passport Service held 'The National Identity Scheme Strategic Suppliers Group Framework procurement bidders' conference' in September 2007. The bidders' conference was part of the procurement process rather than a conventional conference and the venue and associated costs amounted to £4,028.

Internet: Crime

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time staff her Department employs to deal with cybercrime.

Jacqui Smith: The Government criminalises acts based on the offence committed and not the medium used; therefore many Home Office teams make policy on crimes which can be committed over the internet. Teams specifically dealing with cybercrime (for all or some of their time) employ six full time and one part time members of staff.

Police

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of service of police officers is in  (a) Sussex,  (b) Kent,  (c) Surrey and  (d) the Metropolitan police; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 February 2008
	The information requested cannot be calculated from the centrally collected data within the police personnel statistics series. Length of service data is only collected in a number of fixed time bands and are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Length of Service for Police Officers for 2006-07 
			  Percentage 
			   Up to 5 years  5-10 years  10-15 years  15-20 years  20-25 years  26-30 years  30-35 years( 1)  35 years and over( 1) 
			 Kent 29 19 16 16 9 9 1 0 
			 Metropolitan police 29 18 12 14 12 12 2 0 
			 Surrey(2) — — — — — — — — 
			 Sussex 32 17 15 16 11 8 1 0 
			 England and Wales 28 18 14 15 12 11 2 0 
			 (1) Police officers are eligible for retirement after 30 years service. (2) Data for Surrey are not available.

Police: Manpower

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics her Department gathers on transfers of police officers between forces; and how many police officers have transferred  (a) from Sussex police to the Metropolitan police and  (b) from the Metropolitan police to Sussex police in the latest period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 February 2008
	The Home Office centrally collects statistics on the total number of police officers transferring in to each force, and separately collects the total number of police officers transferring out from each force. The data does not identify the force to or from which the transfer occurred. In 2006-07 (the latest period for which figures are available), 40 full-time equivalent police officers transferred out from Sussex police to other forces, and 24 officers transferred in to Sussex police from other forces.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Expenditure

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the spent on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years.

Vernon Coaker: The Serious Organised Crime Agency, which was established on 1 April 2006, has the aim of reducing the harm caused to the UK through serious organised crime. It does not have a function to provide border security. At any given time, SOCA officers may be engaged, to a greater or lesser extent, in activity which bears on border security and enforcement.

Treaty establishing the European Communities

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which measures the UK has decided to participate in through the opt-in arrangements under Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Communities.

Jacqui Smith: The measures the UK has decided to participate in through the opt-in arrangements under Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Communities are in the following table. A copy has been placed in the House Library.

Adverse Drug Reactions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many adverse drug reaction reports were received through the yellow card reporting system for  (a) all anti-psychotic drugs,  (b) traditional anti-psychotic drugs and  (c) atypical anti-psychotic drugs in each of the last five years; and how many prescriptions there were for each such type of drug in each year;
	(2)  how many people in each age cohort experienced an adverse drug reaction in  (a) England,  (b) each region,  (c) each strategic health authority and  (d) each primary care trust area in each year since 2003; and how many such reactions in each category were fatal;
	(3)  how many people aged between  (a) 50 and 64-years-old,  (b) 65 and 74-years-old and  (c) over 75-years-old (i) died and (ii) were injured by adverse drug reactions in each year since 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Commission for Human Medicines through the spontaneous reporting scheme; the Yellow Card Scheme.
	Table 1 shows the number of suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA in the specified time periods where an anti-psychotic drug was listed by the reporter as being suspect. The total number of ADR reports for all antipsychotics is not equal to the sum of both atypical and traditional antipsychotics since an individual ADR report may provide more than one drug as suspect.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA between 2003 and 2007 inclusive for antipsychotic drugs 
			   All antipsychotics  Atypical antipsychotics  Traditional antipsychotics 
			 2003 1,812 1,694 140 
			 2004 2,060 1,963 105 
			 2005 2,614 2,473 160 
			 2006 2,127 1,920 226 
			 2007 2,327 2,172 173 
		
	
	The numbers of antipsychotic prescription items from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) database are shown in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Numbers of prescriptions showing numbers of antipsychotic prescription items( 1)  (in thousands from the PCA database) between 2002 and 2006 
			   All antipsychotics  Atypical antipsychotics  Traditional antipsychotics 
			 2002 5,167.0 2,471.6 2,695.3 
			 2003 5,513.2 3,088.7 2,424.4 
			 2004 5,687.8 3,333.9 2,353.8 
			 2005 5,872.9 3,597.7 2,275.2 
			 2006 6,196.1 4,049.1 2,147.0 
			 (1 )Prescriptions items—prescriptions are written on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. 
		
	
	Table 3 gives the numbers of suspected adverse reaction reports received for the three age cohorts each year since 2003. Reports of suspected ADRs do not always specify the original reporter's address; therefore data on ADRs cannot be provided by region, strategic health authority or primary care trust area.
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA from all sources in each of the last 5 years broken down by three age groups 
			   Age group 
			   50-64  65-74  75+ 
			 2003 3,832 2,633 2,595 
			 2004 4,242 2,904 2,503 
			 2005 4,280 2,896 2,585 
			 2006 4,414 2,919 2,374 
			 2007 4,692 2,693 1,998 
		
	
	The number of suspected adverse reaction reports associated with a fatal outcome each year for the last five years is shown in table 4. It is important to note that the submission of a suspected ADR report does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug. Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing causal relationships including the possible contribution of concomitant medication and the patient's underlying disease.
	
		
			  Table 4: The number of fatal reports that have been received by the MHRA within the specified time periods broken down by three age groups 
			   Age group 
			   50-64  65-74  75+ 
			 2003 139 117 172 
			 2004 180 146 196 
			 2005 242 174 186 
			 2006 201 191 160 
			 2007 220 177 184

Alcoholic Drinks: Rehabilitation

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on establishing  (a) telephone helplines,  (b) interactive websites and  (c) support groups under the National Alcohol Strategy to assist people who want to drink less.

Dawn Primarolo: A number of resources are already in place:
	Drinkline, which is funded by the Department, assists people who want to drink sensibly, providing them with advice over the phone and, if required, signposting them to the appropriate services. Advice is also available from NHS Direct.
	Advice on alcohol consumption is available is available from several interactive websites:
	the new Drinkaware website;
	the Know Your limits campaign site; and
	from NHS Choices.
	Many local providers have established support groups as one aspect of their broader alcohol harm reduction service.
	The forthcoming campaign to raise awareness of units and encourage people to drink within the sensible drinking guidelines is due to launch in May and will strengthen the available support. It will include a website that will provide information designed to help people reduce their drinking and will signpost potentially harmful drinkers to telephone, web and paper-based materials as required.
	The Department is conducting social marketing research to identify the best ways to help people to help choose healthier lifestyles, including help lines, websites and support groups. New information and advice, targeted towards people who drink at harmful levels, their families and friends, will be available from the summer.

Anabolic Steroids: Misuse

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department records the number of people admitted to hospital for conditions caused by the abuse of anabolic steroids.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on finished hospital admissions episodes is not recorded against a specific definition of conditions caused by the abuse of anabolic steroids.
	However, data are collected on the number of finished hospital admissions episodes where there was a diagnosis, in any primary or secondary field of poisoning by androgens and anabolic congeners. This is recorded under the code T38.7.
	Based on this code the number of finished hospital admissions episodes in 2006-07, the last year for which figures are available is 68.
	 Note:
	As this data is for admissions to hospital where it is identified that the patient had a condition of poisoning by androgens and anabolic congeners it does not represent any information about the longer term conditions of the effects of abuse of anabolic steroids.
	 Source:
	Hospital episodes Statistics—The Information Centre for health and social care.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports his Department has made on the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department published "An investigation into the British Pregnancy Advisory Service" response to requests for late abortions: A report by the chief medical officer in 2005. No other reports on the organisation have been produced by the Department.

Cherry Knowle Hospital

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the Cherry Knowle hospital, Ryhope, Sunderland.

Ann Keen: Part of the Cherry Knowle hospital site is included in a portfolio of properties that it was agreed would transfer from the ownership of the Secretary of State for Health to English Partnerships to assist the Governments Sustainable Communities programme. It will be for English Partnerships, in consultation with the local planning authority, to determine the future development of this part of the site. The remainder of the site is intended to be developed by the national health service locally to provide new health care facilities.

Dental Services: Standards

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to  (a) issue guidance and  (b) propose regulations on tooth whitening (i) procedures and (ii) practitioner professional standards; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: In 2001, as a result of action by the manufacturer and distributor of a tooth whitening product, the House of Lords made a judgment that the Government had the right to consider tooth whitening products as falling under the EC Directive on Cosmetic Products(76/768/EEC) and therefore within the terms of the Cosmetics (Safety) Regulations.
	Currently the Schedules to the Cosmetics (Safety) Regulations restricts the permitted percentage of hydrogen peroxide present or released in cosmetic products used in the mouth to 0.1 per cent. but we understand that the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products has given their opinion to the European Commission that the permitted limit may, subject to prescribed conditions, be increased to 6 per cent. We are awaiting the Commission's response to this advice.
	The General Dental Council (GDC), which is independent of Government, is responsible for the professional standards of dentists and dental care professionals. We understand that the GDC considers that tooth whitening constitutes the practice of dentistry. Any registrant who undertakes work for which they are not sufficiently competent risks fitness to practice proceedings.

Electricity: Health Hazards

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he and his Ministerial colleagues have to hold discussions with stakeholders on the implementation of the Health Protection Agency's advice to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes and electrical equipment in homes;
	(2)  what steps have been taken since 27 November 2007 to implement the Health Protection Agency's guidance to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes and electrical equipment in homes; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the timing of the current round of consultation on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes, and electrical equipment in homes is; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what  (a) meetings and  (b) other contacts there have been between officials from his Department and other Departments and devolved administrations on the implementation of the Health Protection Agency's guidance to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes, and electrical equipment in homes;
	(5)  if he will take steps to reduce the exposure of children to electromagnetic radiation.

Dawn Primarolo: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) advice to Government on the "Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAGE) on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (ELF EMF) Precautionary approaches to ELF EMFs First Interim Assessment Power Lines and Property, Wiring in Homes And Electrical Equipment in Homes" is available in the Library and also on the HPA website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/understand/radiation_topics/emf/hpa_response__statement_sage.htm
	The HPA advice supports precautionary measures that have a convincing evidence base to show that they will be successful in reducing exposure, are effective in providing reassurance to the public, and where the overall benefits outweigh the fiscal and social costs.
	Since November, officials in the key Government Departments have been in contact with agencies, industry and trade associations to seek initial views on the practicalities of implementing the SAGE recommendations in the light of HPA advice. After exchanges of correspondence, some exploratory meetings have taken place. When these initial soundings have been completed, a work plan will be drawn up for detailed consideration and discussion will be held with officials in the devolved Administrations.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which strategic health authorities have applied to his Department for support for plans to fluoridate local water supplies.

Ann Keen: None so far, the funds are for the capital cost of setting up the plant for a fluoridation scheme. Strategic health authorities would not therefore apply for funds until they had consulted on proposals for a fluoridation scheme and demonstrated that it was supported by the local population that would be affected.

Food: Allergies

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will revise the guidance given in the Food Standards Agency publication, The Provision of Allergen Information for Non-Pre-Packed Foods, to extend the distribution of such information beyond those consumers who request it.

Dawn Primarolo: The guidance on the provision of allergen information in foods sold non-prepacked was introduced because eating out is recognised to be a high risk situation for allergic consumers. The aim of the guidance is to increase awareness of food allergy issues in food businesses so that, should they be asked, they can provide accurate information on the allergens in the foods they sell, both deliberate ingredients and from the potential for accidental cross contamination. By raising awareness of allergy issues it is hoped that businesses, such as caterers, will be able to provide this information pro-actively to customers.
	The guidance was issued as best practice to reflect the practical issues, raised during the public consultation, for small businesses in this part of the food sector in providing this information on a statutory basis. The European Union has recently issued a proposal on food labelling following a review of the existing legislation, that includes strengthening the requirements to provide allergen information in this sector. There will be a full public consultation on this proposal prior to negotiations.

Food: Labelling

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Food Standards Agency guidance on cross contamination of foodstuffs contained in the provision of allergens information for non pre-packed foods.

Dawn Primarolo: No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the cross contamination information contained within the guidance because the main aim of the Food Standards Agency guidance is to raise awareness of allergens in the non pre-packed foods sector. The guidance focuses on deliberate ingredients as these present the greatest risk for allergic consumers. However, cross contamination is highlighted in the guidance as an additional factor to consider when answering queries from allergic consumers.

General Practitioners: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average remuneration per general practitioner was in City of York constituency in  (a) the most recent period for which figures are available and  (b) each of the previous 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Data on average general practitioner (GP) pay by individual primary care trusts and at national level is not available in the format requested.
	Information on average GP net profits was only determined at United Kingdom level only until 2001-02. However, since 2002-03 information on average GP pay has been available on a country basis (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) as well as at Great Britain/UK level.
	The following table provides the latest available average GP net profit from 1997 to 2005-06 as agreed with the Technical Steering Committee which is a UK wide committee incorporating representatives from all UK Health Departments, the NHS Confederation and the British Medical Association.
	
		
			  Average GP pay since 1997 
			   Amount (£)  Increase over previous year (percentage) 
			 1997-98 46,031 3.5 
			 1998-99 48,037 4.4 
			 1999-2000 52,606 9.5 
			 2000-01 54,219 3.1 
			 2001-02 56,510 4.2 
			 2002-03 72,716 (1)— 
			 2003-04 81,566 12.2 
			 2004-05 100,170 22.8 
			 2005-06 110,004 9.8 
			 (1) Not applicable as a new data series started this year  Notes: 1. Figures for 1997-98 to 2001-02 inclusive are for national health service income only in Great Britain (GB). 2. Figures for 2002-03 onwards are for all sources of income, including private, but for 2002-03 is for GB and for 2003-04 onwards are for the UK. The figures do not include earnings of those doctors working as salaried employees.  Source: Information Centre for health and social care.

Health Services: Private Sector

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role his Department has in  (a) monitoring and regulating and  (b) securing patients' interests in takeovers of NHS services by private health care companies.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 February 2008
	The Department's role in relation to the involvement of private health care companies in providing national health service services is to establish the conditions and rules to ensure that such involvement is in the interests of patients, the public and taxpayers. The
	Department does not directly regulate or monitor private companies' involvement in specific local services.
	It is for primary care trusts (PCTs), the local leaders of the NHS, to commission an appropriate range of high quality health care services to meet the needs of their population. In circumstances where existing services are not of the required quality, or where new services are needed, PCTs may decide to procure alternatives from other NHS organisations or from the private sector or the third sector. Strategic health authorities ensure that PCTs carry out their commissioning role effectively, and in line with the principles and rules for competition established by the Department.
	The Healthcare Commission is responsible for regulating independent sector providers and assessing NHS providers.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to issue guidance to primary care trusts on  (a) the delivery of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations and  (b) the consent required for administering the HPV vaccination; whether he plans to recommend a school-based delivery programme; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Guidance on the implementation of the human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation programme will be issued to the national health service and others through various information channels such as the Chief Medical Officer Letters, Chief Executives Bulletin, the guide "Immunisation against infectious disease" (the 'Green Book'), websites and a range of NHS immunisation leaflets when all the appropriate information becomes available. A national conference for primary care trusts (PCTs) was held in October on the HPV vaccination programme. A second conference is planned, and a range of supporting resources is being made available on the www.immunisation.nhs.uk website as they are developed.
	The principles for consent for HPV vaccination are the same as those for other childhood vaccination, and is covered in Chapter 2 of the "Immunisation against Infectious Disease".
	Introduction of a HPV immunisation programme to routinely vaccinate girls aged 12 to 13 years of age against cervical cancer will start in September 2008 and a two-year catch up campaign will start in autumn 2009, for girls up to 18 years. PCTs will plan how to deliver the vaccination programme locally, and the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that HPV vaccination would be most efficiently delivered through schools.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with officials at the  (a) Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and  (b) Office of Fair Trading on the implications of reducing reimbursement prices for stoma and incontinence products to below cost;
	(2)  if he will issue guidance to dispensing appliance contractors on how to prioritise those patients who should receive a stoma customisation service in the event of a volume cap being placed on this service.

Dawn Primarolo: During the course of this review there have been meetings with The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform—formerly the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Lord Sainsbury represented the DTI. These covered all aspects of the review, including reimbursement for items.
	There have been no discussions with the Office of Fair Trading specifically about the potential impact of the proposed reimbursement for items, although it is aware of the review taking place.
	It is premature to decide if any guidance should be issued to dispensing appliance contractors regarding any aspect of the proposed service provision, as the review is ongoing.

Infant Foods: Fluoride and Fluoride: Drinking Water

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to his answer of 17 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2209W, on infant foods: fluoride, whether his Department has completed its evaluation of advice issued by the American Dental Association that fluoridated water should not be used to make-up powdered infant formula because of the risk of dental fluorosis; and if he will publish that evaluation;
	(2)  what proportion of the population have dental fluorosis; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population likely to have dental fluorosis in areas where the public water supply is fluoridated.

Ann Keen: Dental fluorosis is a cosmetic effect with no implications for systemic (general) health. It may nevertheless, in a small minority of cases, give people concerns about the appearance of their teeth. A research project reported in the British Dental Journal (volume 189 No 4 August 26 2000) on the prevalence of fluorosis of children who had been continuous residents in fluoridated Newcastle or non-fluoridated Northumberland found that 54 per cent. of children in water fluoridated areas had fluorosis and 23 per cent. in the fluoride deficient areas. In response to the advice from the American Dental Association, we are to investigate the aesthetic impact of fluorosis. We are funding a research project involving the use of intra-oral cameras and automated software to obtain consistent readings in surveys of levels of dental fluorosis. If, as we expect, the project is successful, the researchers will use the photographs to obtain the views of a representative sample of people on the appearance of teeth with fluorosis at different levels of severity.

Maternity Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has taken to improve maternity services since 1997.

Ann Keen: holding answer 19 February 2008
	 I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1390W. Also on 25 January 2008, we announced extra funding for maternity services for each of the next three years, totalling £330 million. This will ensure that mothers will get the best possible care and will be guaranteed a full range of choices. Trusts will have access to this additional money from April.

Midwives: Training

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to his Department of training student midwives was in each year since 2004-05.

Ann Keen: holding answer 18 February 2008
	The total estimated cost of training student midwives for each year since 2004-05 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total cost (£ million) 
			 2004-05 79.4 
			 2005-06 82.2 
			  Notes: (i) 2004-05 and 2005-06 are forecasts. No data is available for 2006-07 onwards. (ii) Data in the above time series is not strictly comparable due to changes in the way data was collected. (iii) Average bursary costs for nurses and midwives has been added to tuition costs from 2004-05 onwards.

Neurology

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neurosurgeons qualified in each of the past 10 years

Ann Keen: The Department does not hold the numbers of neurosurgeons who qualified each year because the annual national health service workforce census does not separately identify the number of consultants specialising in neurosurgery who qualify each year.
	The number of consultants specialising in neurosurgery employed in the NHS in each year from 1996 to 2006 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Hospital and Community Health Services : Medical staff showing consultants and doctors in training and equivalents working in Neurosurgery: England at 30 September each year 
			  Numbers 
			   All staff, of which:  C onsultants  Doctors in training and equivalents 
			 1996 367 124 236 
			 1997 358 127 218 
			 1998 371 130 231 
			 1999 368 136 222 
			 2000 407 139 252 
			 2001 427 152 252 
			 2002 466 161 280 
			 2003 491 168 311 
			 2004 534 180 345 
			 2005 561 190 352 
			 2006 553 187 358 
			  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

NHS: Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what days the www.jobs.nhs.uk/terms.html webpage was updated in the last two months.

Ann Keen: The www.job.nhs.uk/terms.html webpage was last updated on 16 January 2008 as stated on the website. The terms and conditions of the National Health Service Jobs website are reviewed once a month by NHS employers and are updated when necessary. They were previously updated in 2006 as a result of changes from commissioning a patient led NHS.

Suicide

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the last suicide prevention campaign aimed at school students was launched; and how much his Department has spent on suicide prevention in schools in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are committed to improving safeguards for children. That is why it has introduced new legislation, new guidance, new structures and new policy initiatives to make children safer and to ensure that there is a proper focus on children at the very heart of Government. A national suicide prevention strategy for England was launched by the Department of Health in September 2002 with the aim of supporting the target to substantially reduce the mortality rate from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20 per cent. by 2010.
	We are currently working with Papyrus on the prevention of young suicide and funding the expansion of their helpline called Hopeline UK. We are also putting £30 million into the NSPCC to expand and improve their services so that more children can be given advice and help. Action to tackle this complex problem also includes raising awareness of the potential dangers of suicide websites/chat rooms and working with Internet Service Providers to discourage them from hosting sites which may encourage suicide. The independent Byron review is looking into helping children and young people get the most from the internet whilst protecting them from inappropriate and potentially harmful material.
	The Department does not collect data on how much schools spend on suicide prevention. However grant funding to local authorities for implementing the ten year programme of improvements for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) set out in the National Framework for Children and Young People and Maternity Services (NSF) has increased from £10 million in 1999-2000 to £91 million in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2007-08. The Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme was created to develop all children and young people's social and emotional skills at school, which help to underpin emotional wellbeing. SEAL will be supported by an extra £13.7 million over four years, on top of the £7 million a year already confirmed, and the aim is that by 2010-11 SEAL will be available to all schools nationally. In addition from April we will invest an additional £60 million over three years to support schools to work with mental health practitioners and strengthen the provision of targeted mental health services for children and adolescents. We also announced plans in 2007 for an independent review of CAMHS.

Wines

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the policy of the Food Standards Agency is on the importation and sale of low alcohol wine.

Dawn Primarolo: The enforcement for wine sector regulations in the United Kingdom is carried out by the Food Standards Agency.
	Wines from other member states may be brought into the UK provided they comply with European Community (EC) regulations on winemaking. Naturally lower alcohol wines can be produced and sold in member states. However, Council Regulation 1493/1999 does not allow the reduction of alcohol in a wine. There is, however, provision for member states to allow experimental winemaking practices but any wines produced can only be sold in the member state of production.
	Wines from third countries imported into the EC are in general subject to the same rules on winemaking as wines produced in member states. The United States of America is one of a number of countries that has an agreement with the EC which allows wines from the USA which meet their domestic regulations to be imported into the EC. This agreement includes the use of alcohol reduction techniques.
	The agency favours a regime that recognises there is no threat to consumer health by using alcohol reduction processes. However a new category for reduced alcohol wines is required to be included in to EC regulations, to avoid misleading description and potential confusion with mainstream wines.
	The European Union wine regime is currently being reviewed and it is expected to introduce a fast track procedure for approval of novel wine making processes such as spinning cone and reverse osmosis which can reduce the alcohol content of wine.